Asked by: Derek Twigg (Labour - Widnes and Halewood)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the capacity of (a) energy suppliers and (b) the National Grid to provide power for the cooling systems for proposed new AI data centres.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department’s energy and emissions projections include growth in power demand from computing services such as data centres. However, to ensure a comprehensive view of the energy system, the methodology projects at a broader sector level, not disaggregating specific estimates for data centres.
The Capacity Market ensures supply meets demand. It operates by securing most of the required capacity four years in advance, with additional capacity secured one year ahead based on updated forecasts. This approach ensures Great Britain meets the Reliability Standard, which balances cost and reliability to maintain adequate electricity security.
Asked by: Derek Twigg (Labour - Widnes and Halewood)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to Question 101725 tabled by the hon. Member for Widnes and Halewood on 2 January 2026.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Hon Member received a response to PQ 101725 on 4th February 2026.